ECFC 2-1 Northampton Town
Scorers: Gilchrist, Dockray
Attendance: 4000

Saturday, March 29th.

Played at St. James's Park, Exeter.

EXETER CITY 2 NORTHAMPTON 1. Scorers: Gilchrist and Dockray (Exeter) Pease (Northampton).

Captains:- Coleburne and Pease.

Referee:- Mr A.F.Davis, of Bristol.

TEAMS

CITY:-
Bailey; Pollard, and Charlton; Coleburne, Crompton, and Gilchrist;ot.co Matthews, Kirk, Davis, Shelton, and Dockray.

NORTHAMPTON:-
Smith; Watson, and Brett; Needham, Wood, and Williams;
Pease, Seabrook, Braidford, Myers, and Page.

DESCRIPTION

Today's contest was vested with special interest of an unusual nature, for there was just an outside chance that the Cobblers, who have regularly visited St James's Park every season without fail, ever since the 1908-09 campaign and excluding the four war time years, were appearing here for the last time. Mr Charmley, League Secretary, has stated that in the event of two Southern Clubs dropping out of the Second Division the League would most likely remove to the Northern Section of the Third Division the nearest club in a geographical sense, which would be Northampton.

At the eleventh hour the Cobblers were forced to change their team, Lockett through a knee injury having to stand down, and in his stead was Braidford, whose transfer was secured ago from Hartlepools United. three weeks

EXETER DEFENDING.

The playing field at St James's Park was in wonderful trim when one considers the amount of football that has been played on it, right through from last August. The weather was cool and clear, and a stiffish breeze blew from the railway end. There were about four thousand present when Davis kicked off towards St James's Road, with Coleburne losing the toss.

Northampton made ground smartly on their left, and a low strong centre from Page was fielded by Bailey in the goalmouth. The City took play to midfield, and Coleburne sent Kirk through, but Kirk's pass, intended for Davis, was nipped in the bud by Watson. The Cobblers were very quick, and the men were adept at finding one another with a variety of long and short passes. For the first twenty minutes Exeter were almost entirely on the defensive, penned into their own half by the eager first-time work of the Cobblers. Dockray got away on the left wing, but Needham ran back and robbed the Carlisle "flier." Myers was spoken to by the referee for a bad foul on Charlton, and the free-kick, taken by Charlton, was of no value to Exeter.

COBBLERS SCORE AND EXETER DRAW LEVEL.

After fifteen minutes' play conducted almost entirely in Exeter City's territory the Cobblers took the lead, Pease meeting a fast centre from Page and heading smartly into the net. Bailey had come out to deal with the centre but failed in his effort to punch the ball away.

From the kick-off Northampton swept to the attack, progress being made by means of swift and accurate first-time passing on the floor, and each man running into position to receive the ball. It was very pretty to watch, and Exeter's half-backs were all at sea trying to follow the rapid moves.

The City gradually asserted themselves, and Needham kicked out a shot from Kirk in the goalmouth. A thunderous drive from Pease hit the angle of the goalpost and crossbar, and his next "cannon-ball" missed the goalposts altogether and scattered the spectators on the big bank. Smith at the other end cleared a weak header by Davis, from Coleburne's placing, then all against the run of the play the City drew level, Gilchrist netting from Matthew's centre.

At the interval the score was:
Exeter City 1 Northampton Town 1.

SECOND HALF.

The City got up steam when play was resumed, and Coleburne tried a shot from an oblique angle which shaved the crossbar. Exeter came forward again, and this time Dockray collected a loose ball neatly, and shooting from the left hand corner of the penalty area rattled the net, the ball just scraping the bottom of the far post as it went in. For the next few minutes the Cobblers, striving hard to pull up level again, kept play at the Exeter end, Bailey clearing a centre from Page, and one or two long shots from other Cobblers. Exeter had surprised their opponents by getting on top after their somewhat feeble play in the first twenty minutes of the game, and in these later stages they were enjoying a full share of things.

Keen end to end play followed, and Bailey proved his value as a high-class goalkeeper with two brilliant saves first from Pease and then from Braidford. Pollard and Charlton were also in their best form. Myers netted the ball with his hand, and claimed a goal, but the referee, who had the happy knack of being in the right place at the right time smiled as he wagged his finger at Myers, schoolmaster fashion, and awarded Exeter a free-kick for hands.